Tennis in New York: Either there’s no backcourt, or the surface is out of 1993 Bosnia, or it’s way overpriced. The right to play at Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club doesn’t come cheap—$900 a year for an individual membership, and hourly rates that rival your shrink’s. But the backcourts are generous, the hardcourts pristine, and the towels are several plush cuts above the usual sandpaper they dole out at gyms. On the money-is-an-object side, the city has been upgrading its public courses and adding to its number. The new court in Riverside Park at 96th Street and the newly refurbished one at 119th Street (212-360-8133) are both in superb condition and haven’t been discovered yet by the Central Park crowds. Season permits are $50 for adults, and reservations need to be made two weeks in advance during peak times.